Warranty Reserve (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Product warranty activity
Beginning balance - January 1	$ 1,311,442us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	$ 1,608,131us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual
Additions for current period deliveries	111,107	227,431
Reductions for payments made	(195,180)	(357,391)
Ending balance - December 31	$ 1,227,369us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual	$ 1,478,171us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual
GenDrive contracts \| Minimum
Product warranty period, Minimum	1 year
GenDrive contracts \| Maximum
Product warranty period, Maximum	2 years
ReliOn contracts \| Minimum
Product warranty period, Minimum	2 years
ReliOn contracts \| Maximum
Product warranty period, Maximum	5 years

Represents the maximum period of standard product warranty.

No definition available.

Name:	plug_StandardProductWarrantyPeriodMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum period of standard product warranty.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	plug_StandardProductWarrantyPeriodMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	plug_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MovementInStandardProductWarrantyAccrualRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount as of the balance sheet date of the aggregate standard product warranty liability. Does not include the balance for the extended product warranty liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-Subparagraph (c)(1),(c)(5)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the aggregate decrease in the liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) to satisfy claims under the terms of the standard product warranty. Does not include any Increase or Decrease in the liability for payments related to extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-Subparagraph ((c)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the aggregate increase in the liability for accruals related to standard product warranties issued during the reporting period. Does not include any increase in the liability for accruals related to extended product warranties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-Subparagraph ((c)(3))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=plug_GenDriveContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=plug_ReliOnContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: